1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to promotional gaming methods. More specifically, the invention creates the ability for sponsors, their customers or others related to a contest, to use xe2x80x9cmember cardsxe2x80x9d, credit or debit cards, and Point-of-Sale cash registers and their like, as well as wireless device usage (cell phones, palm pilots, hand held digital assistants, etc.), physical phone line usage, Internet Service Provider usage, and electronic order taking services and other loyalty-type programs typically associated with an account number, to automatically enter players into a sweepstakes type contest such as a xe2x80x9ccollect and winxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cmatch and winxe2x80x9d game. The invention also defines a system to allow any player to easily share or trade game pieces for the purposes of gaining a higher probability of winning contest. The invention creates the ability for sponsors to increase all players"" odds of winning a xe2x80x9ccollect and winxe2x80x9d or other type sweepstakes, game or contest through use of an Odds Accelerator. The Odds Accelerator creates or adds an extra winning piece, rare piece, element, or chance to a sweepstakes type game, promotion or contest when certain parameters are met. Furthermore, the invention also creates the ability to incorporate xe2x80x9cautomatedxe2x80x9d game play for member card holders who do not have or cannot afford access to or who do not desire to access the game""s host web site thus creating a xe2x80x9cvirtual Internetxe2x80x9d collect and win or match and win promotion.
2. Background of the Invention
On-line and Off-line Retailers and manufacturers such as consumer packaged goods (CPGs) companies and grocery chains, among others, commonly sponsor promotional games. These games are intended to drive traffic to certain locations, increase sales or usage of specific products, and/or simply to reward customers for loyalty. Such games (games will be used synonymously with sweepstakes, contests and promotions throughout) come in many forms as will be readily known and understood by those skilled in the related art, including, random drawing sweepstakes, instant win packaging, lotteries, collect and win and match and win contests.
In two types of promotional games, (a so called xe2x80x9ccollect and winxe2x80x9d game or a so called xe2x80x9cmatch and winxe2x80x9d game) a player must collect a combination of elements in order to win a prize or one of many prizes given by the sponsor. For example, a cola beverage manufacturer may print letters inside the bottle cap, and a player needs to collect the series of bottle caps with the letters C-O-L-A to win a prize or the company may print images on a cap and a player must match the image to an identical image on another cap. The game is usually available nationally if not worldwide and the odds of winning certain prizes are related to product distribution and availability among many other factors. Therefore it is difficult to collect the series of winning game pieces, since for example all of the bottle caps are dispersed over an extremely large area of the planet and, currently, there are typically only one or two xe2x80x9cextremely rarexe2x80x9d winning caps. If the winning cap is on the West Coast, and you live on the East Coast, your odds of winning are extremely low. The reason for only one or two rare pieces is that, prior to this invention and a prior invention file by the authors, no reasonable system existed to allow total control over game piece distribution and price awards. For example, if the xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d in the cola game above was the rare piece needed to win one million dollars and 1000 xe2x80x9cA""sxe2x80x9d were printed and redeemed, then the potential prizes claimed against the sponsor would be devastating. Nevertheless, the possibility, albeit remote, of winning a prize of significant value provides a powerful incentive to prospective patrons.
Although off-line games of this nature, and other similar schemes utilizing an element of random chance, may be useful marketing tools, they suffer from several drawbacks. For example, manufacture and distribution of the game pieces is expensive and time consuming, especially when millions or billions pieces are made per game. Additionally, security measures must be implemented in order to prevent persons involved in distributing the pieces from stealing or diverting rare or winning pieces for personal use. Likewise, extremely time-consuming measures must be taken to inspect each piece in order to ensure that the correct number of winning pieces is made and excessive pieces are placed in circulation. Yet another current drawback of these games, especially xe2x80x9ccollect and winxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cmatch and winxe2x80x9d, is that patrons playing the game must store each piece until a match has been made, if ever. This is a burden on the consumer and makes the games less attractive overall. Additionally, off-line, and some on-line, games of this nature are not normally integrated with any mechanism for compiling a list of patrons entering an establishment or purchasing or using a product for use in future promotional efforts. In yet another drawback, many of these games require redemption by mail. All of the aforementioned drawbacks are eliminated or greatly reduced as a result of this invention and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/498,748 filed on Feb. 7, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,921, which is hereby incorporated by reference (hereinafter xe2x80x9c""921 patentxe2x80x9d).
In fact, the ""921 patent is a system that allows disparate people or groups of people to acquire valuable prizes, especially for xe2x80x9ccollect and winxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cmath and winxe2x80x9d games, via the sharing of specific or unique pieces over the system. The technology wherein the odds of winning increased were not practical until the invention set forth in the ""921 Patent was reduced to practice. Although the preferred embodiments disclosed in ""921 Patent provide highly useful games, further improvements are still desirable. In particular, it would be desirable to provide improved games within the broad meaning of the ""921 patent which provide patrons/consumers with even greater motivation to participate in promotional games so that revenue, brand awareness, and off-line/on-line traffic will increase while opening the potential for large cost savings by eliminating pre-made physical pieces and for the development of on-line communities relating to a given sponsor or group of sponsors.
Thus, this invention complements and adds several completely new layers to collect and win, match and win and other games as disclosed in the ""921 Parent, First, the invention herein automates the distribution of game pieces through appropriate programming and downloading/uploading of consumer data on a xe2x80x9cmember cardxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cmember cardxe2x80x9d database. The automated entry may be on a real-time or delayed basis depending on the technology available to a sponsor or to our site at any given time. For example, some Point-of-Sale (hereinafter xe2x80x9cPOSxe2x80x9d) systems may require a xe2x80x9cbatchxe2x80x9d to be uploaded to our system for processing once per at least one day; or some POS systems may utilize appropriate technology to upload triggering plays at our site on a real-time basis; likewise, receipt codes or product codes or on-product codes (xe2x80x9ccap-codesxe2x80x9d) may generate game plays on a real-time basis at time of entry on our site, or on a delayed basis so as to work with the automated portion of a game. A xe2x80x9cmember cardxe2x80x9d is any loyalty system or use of a product by a person, business or organization as previously describe above in the Background of the Invention. For example, a grocery retailer may distribute xe2x80x9cmember cardsxe2x80x9d to its patrons for such privileges as check cashing, purchase discounts, and the collection of demographic information among other reasons. A xe2x80x9cmember cardxe2x80x9d is also used herein to describe usage based services such as cell phones and other wireless devices, land-line local and long-distance phone services, on-line user fees, on-line xe2x80x9cgrocery cart checkoutsxe2x80x9d and other such services not to be limited by the above. Specifically, the system described herein utilizes and/or integrates with our system, a game sponsor""s member card data collection or POS system to automatically generate and enter online (Internet/World Wide Web) game pieces for said sponsor""s members. In one embodiment of the invention, receipt codes or other game codes would be used in conjunction with said cards for use by players without such cards. In yet another embodiment of the invention, it will be assumed that any such game will comply with all Federal, State, County, City, and Country laws regarding sweepstakes type contests. Therefore it is assumed that the aforementioned will include an option to obtain codes for a given game by means of the postal or email services. The following are examples for illustration purposes only and should not be deemed complete in any way: a per minute use X of a cell phone results in a game play; an on-line stock trade with confirmation results in a game play; a long-distance phone call over 10 minutes results in a game play; the use of a credit card X to purchase product Z results in a game play; a use of X minutes over prepaid Hand Held Device Q results in a game play; the use of a grocery check cashing card X to purchase products A, B or C results in 1, 2, or 3 game plays; the additional minutes purchased with a calling card results in a game play, etc.
Secondly, the invention herein creates a xe2x80x9cvirtual Internetxe2x80x9d for our customers utilizing xe2x80x9cmember cardxe2x80x9d systems. A xe2x80x9cvirtual Internetxe2x80x9d is created by our system for use by players/members that have no web access or no desire to access the web in order to play our games. For example, a poor inner city youth has purchased a bottle of Cola, among other items, at his local grocery store and xe2x80x9cswipedxe2x80x9d his loyalty card in order to obtain an on-line game piece(s) in the xe2x80x9cColaxe2x80x94Cola Challengexe2x80x9d. In order to play the game piece, the youth must go to our web site, enter his member card #, select his game piece from his xe2x80x9cin-boxxe2x80x9d and play the piece per the game""s rules. This becomes a problem, however, if the youth does not have ready access to the Internet. The present invention solves this problem for the youth and the retailer by allowing game pieces to be automatically played for each member cardholder""s account. For example, after the youth swiped his card, the purchase of a Cola was recorded on the store""s POS system and associated with the member card. The data is then uploaded to the system created by this invention which then generates a game piece at our site for said member card. The system then xe2x80x9cplaysxe2x80x9d the game piece for the member and, if the member wins, the system xe2x80x9ccreditsxe2x80x9d the member""s card with the prize if it is cash or a free Cola. In this manner the next time the youth uses the member card, his total cost will be deducted by the amount of the prize. Alternatively, if the prize is a tee shirt, car or similar physical item, the system utilizes the member card data to ship the prize to the cardholder. This system greatly increases the benefits of being a card member. Some companies employ a xe2x80x9cusagexe2x80x9d method to award points or to award entry into a random drawing sweepstakes. The present invention herein does not seek to apply itself in any manner as the aforementioned methods; rather the invention is a game system related to xe2x80x9ccollect and winxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cmatch and winxe2x80x9d contests.
Thirdly, the invention herein uses a system centered on an xe2x80x9cOdds Acceleratorxe2x80x9d in conjunction with a game type promotion if a game""s sponsor or rules allow. The Odds Accelerator increases participants"" odds of obtaining the xe2x80x9crarestxe2x80x9d piece in a promotion type game based upon a triggering event. For example, a player obtains the xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d in C-O-L-A and there is only one xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d in the game. Thus if this player can obtain the xe2x80x9cO, L, Axe2x80x9d within the time permitted, either on their own or through the Odds Accelerator system, said player or said player and said player""s xe2x80x9cpalsxe2x80x9d wins the game to the detriment of all other players. After implementing the present invention, the system may be configured to create another rare piece (the letter C) once the rarest piece has been xe2x80x9ccreatedxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cdistributedxe2x80x9d or played. The piece played need not be physically created but may be offered by the sponsor online or through other means in a virtual context. This betters the odds for all players, unless the original winning letter has already been matched and the prize claimed, although a sponsor may want more winners to create excitement and thus another xe2x80x9crarexe2x80x9d letter/code can be added upon the triggering event. This is also a major improvement over the traditional collect and win or match and win games because now, a rare piece may be generated by the triggering event even if the triggering piece is never played. In other words, in a classic game, a rare piece that has been acquired is lost forever if it is thrown away, discarded, lost or otherwise ignored by the person who holds it. Our new system allows more rare pieces to be printed in a controlled manner once the triggering event has occurred, thus making the game more exciting to the consumer and more valuable as a tool for the sponsor because no is worried about the rare piece being discarded. Furthermore, in the event that a game is nearing its time based deadline, i.e., most games exist for a specified period of time, and no rare piece has been activated, our system creates the ability to add more rare pieces to the pot in a controlled manner. This is possible only because our system, as previously described ""748 Application allows for the tracking of all pieces on a real-time basis. Off-line games of a similar nature have no ability to do this, nor have any online games been developed with the purposes of the present invention in mind. It will be appreciated that there are unlimited ways to implement such an Odds Accelerator. The system may, based on the rules of the game, continue to generate more xe2x80x9crarexe2x80x9d pieces as time goes on and in an ever-increasing manner, or as set by a sponsor, until a winner or winners are established per pre-determined protocols. Thus, the system described herein allows for greater chances of winning for all participants while allowing for a greed and time is running out factor to the first player of the rarest piece. Such a case occurs when only one or two rare pieces will be allowed to win, but the first player of the rare piece may lose if he does not get the other letters before the Odds Accelerator generates another rare piece which is played and filly matched first by a subsequent rare piece holder.
Fourth, in yet another embodiment of the present invention, a system is developed to ensure the ease of limited or unlimited trading and/or sharing of game pieces a player and at least one other player or more. Specifically, each game may make use of an xe2x80x9cIn-Boxxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cShare-Boxxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cI have boxxe2x80x9d and an xe2x80x9cI want box.xe2x80x9d Previous ways of sharing information on the web between participants includes systems such as message boards, chat rooms, on-line auctions and instant messaging. However, none of these systems allows players to easily share and/or trade game pieces for collect and win and match and win games. The system herein defined makes the sharing and trading of pieces simple while establishing a xe2x80x9cclearing housexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cmiddlemanxe2x80x9d to act as a xe2x80x9csafe harborxe2x80x9d for game participants. Once a player""s piece has been generated by the system, it may be sent to that player""s xe2x80x9cIn-Boxxe2x80x9d. The player may then play the piece on a message board or move it to one of the other boxes listed above. For example, the player, Bob, has game piece B12 but does not need it to win a prize. Bob may choose to share the piece openly with his teammates or the general population of game participants by moving it to his xe2x80x9cShare-Boxxe2x80x9d. The system then matches the piece with that of another player, Susan, who has entered B12 in her xe2x80x9cI Want Box.xe2x80x9d Bob will get no game piece in return. Furthermore, Bob may move another piece, G38, to his xe2x80x9cI Havexe2x80x9d box in hopes of obtaining G40, which he has entered in his xe2x80x9cI Wantxe2x80x9d box. Should one of his teammates or another game participant, Jill, enter the opposite way, e.g., G38 to the xe2x80x9cI Wantxe2x80x9d box and G40 to xe2x80x9cI Havexe2x80x9d, then the system matches the pieces with the corresponding players and xe2x80x9ctradesxe2x80x9d or exchanges the pieces. In this scenario G38 would go to Jill""s xe2x80x9cIn-Boxxe2x80x9d and G40 would go to Bob""s xe2x80x9cIn-Boxxe2x80x9d. Likewise, both original pieces are removed from the appropriate xe2x80x9cI Havexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cI Wantxe2x80x9d boxes of Bob and Jill, i.e., they made a trade and keep only one side of the transaction. It is anticipated that any piece in any player""s xe2x80x9cIn-Boxxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cShare-Boxxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cI have boxxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cI want boxxe2x80x9d will be available to play or move around between boxes until a successful transaction has occurred to remove said piece from a player""s possession. However, moving a piece from one box to another changes its status appropriately. For example, moving R45 from the xe2x80x9cI Havexe2x80x9d box to the xe2x80x9cIn-Boxxe2x80x9d, removes its eligibility for sharing or trading until such time, if ever, that it is moved back. Therefore, exchanges may only be made from the xe2x80x9cI Havexe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cI Wantxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cSharexe2x80x9d or other box. All of said sharing will be matched by the system on a Date and Time basis. For example, once Bob has entered G38 into his xe2x80x9cSharexe2x80x9d box, then the first player or teammate to enter G38 into their xe2x80x9cI Wantxe2x80x9d box will get the game piece. It will be appreciated that the system may be configured in such a way as to allow unlimited rules regarding the sharing or trading of game pieces, how the timing of such exchanges will occur will depend on a Sponsor""s rules. It is anticipated that a sponsor will limit the number of players a participant my share with to a specific number so as not to break the game""s odds too quickly. Thus the system will use the appropriate software and hardware to facilitate forming, linking and trading between teammates.
Fifth, another embodiment of the present invention is to utilize an on-line xe2x80x9cprize distributionxe2x80x9d link. Such a link allows a player of one of our games to hyperlink to the game Sponsor""s web-site and claim a xe2x80x9cyour choicexe2x80x9d prize based on xe2x80x9clevelsxe2x80x9d. For example, during a Coca-Cola collect and win game, players must spell xe2x80x9ccarbonationxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9ccolaxe2x80x9d, etc. Alternatively, players may also obtain xe2x80x9cinstant winxe2x80x9d game pieces in lieu of or in combination with xe2x80x9clettersxe2x80x9d that allow them to claim a prize with or without spelling anything. In this new system, the game site would link the instant winner or a spell complete winner, that is a player who was able to obtain enough letters to spell the target word such as xe2x80x9ccolaxe2x80x9d, to the Sponsor""s on-line store site. In the above Cola example, the winner would be sent to the Cola""s on-line nostalgia store and may choose a xe2x80x9cprizexe2x80x9d based on a xe2x80x9clevelxe2x80x9d scheme such as, but not limited to: xe2x80x9clevel 1xe2x80x9d wins your choice of a hat, tee-shirt or socks; xe2x80x9clevel 2xe2x80x9d wins your choice of vintage cola posters or vintage bottles of the beverage; and xe2x80x9clevel 3xe2x80x9d wins your choice of a Cola bicycle or Jukebox, etc. As a result, our new system enables Sponsor""s to offer consumers, i.e., game players, an unlimited prize choice system for winning a collect and win type game on an as claimed basis while driving traffic to the Sponsor""s site and potentially increasing sales there as well. This is a particularly important and new because now, as a consumer, you won""t be forced to win 10 hats or 20 free drinks. The system creates the ability for many more choices and increase accountability to the sponsor.
The present invention thus solves several problems with paper based collect and win games, while creating more exciting and uniquely different games then are currently available and for an end product(s) (in the form of prizes) to be acquired while lowering printing and distribution costs, as will be described herein.
The apparent advantages and objects of the invention of the computer based method and apparatus according to the invention follow herein.
It is an object of this invention to further utilize the general xe2x80x9cgame piece sharingxe2x80x9d system contemplated by the ""921 patent in conjunction with, but not limited to, the following objects. The xe2x80x9cgame piece sharingxe2x80x9d system herein contemplated may be configured in multiple ways as defined and customized for individual sponsor""s and is not to be limited by any limitations of the ""921 patent.
It is a further object of the invention to facilitate the automated on-line entry of an eligible player into a collect and win or other sweepstakes type promotion, game or contest by means of a xe2x80x9cmember cardxe2x80x9d. It should be noted that a potential player under this new system does NOT have to have Internet access in order to get a game piece or prize on-line and thus a virtual web is also created. In this embodiment of the invention, consumer purchase information is retrieved by the system from a sponsor""s data collection system, usually a software integrated Point-of-Sale (POS) system, or a credit card/loyalty type system where some type of xe2x80x9ctriggering dataxe2x80x9d is entered onto a system, usually by phone or computer, to be used for billing, awarding, tracking, etc., matched to predetermined protocols on our system, and any triggering purchases/events then cause a random xe2x80x9ccollect and winxe2x80x9d or other type game piece to be awarded to the purchaser or group of purchasers. Such piece may be automatically xe2x80x9cplayedxe2x80x9d at the game site so that the patron does not have to safely store and cross check all of his/her pieces. There is less chance of someone throwing away the most rare piece as a result, thus making the game more exciting and winnable.
It is another object of the invention to facilitate the on-line entry of an eligible player into a collect and win or other sweepstakes type promotion, game or contest by means of a xe2x80x9creceipt codexe2x80x9d or other type-coded indicia that will be used to generate a xe2x80x9cplayxe2x80x9d directly on the game site. In this particular embodiment of the invention, a consumer would enter their xe2x80x9cgame codexe2x80x9d at the game site where the system verifies the code eligibility and, if eligible, generates a random game piece or pieces for that player or group of players. An example of a similar system is xe2x80x9cmail inxe2x80x9d piece codes. This allows all patrons, not just patrons with xe2x80x9cmember cardsxe2x80x9d to play in the game. One advantage of this system is to entice non-members to become xe2x80x9ccardholdersxe2x80x9d so as to automate their entry process and develop loyalty to the sponsor. This type of entry could be used for, but is in no way limited to, consumer product sales games initiated only at the sponsor""s store, such as a supermarket chain X, or worldwide if applicable such as a cola brand X game where you can get automated entries at supermarket chain X or manual entries by buying cola brand X anywhere and entering the underlying cap code at the game site.
It is another object of the invention to facilitate an increase in the number of users of a particular xe2x80x9cmember cardxe2x80x9d by providing a reason, in the form of an automated prize entry, for a person to become a xe2x80x9cmemberxe2x80x9d of a particular business, organization or group. For example, these may include grocery store chains, credit cards, bankcards, cellular phone service providers, loyalty programs, etc. In another embodiment of the present invention, non-card users who obtain a game code piece by means other than a xe2x80x9cmember cardxe2x80x9d, will be offered a chance to xe2x80x9csign upxe2x80x9d for a xe2x80x9cmember cardxe2x80x9d at the game site. It is anticipated that a player who signed up for a member card would then have to follow applicable and appropriate steps to obtain said card. Such steps may include filling out detailed personal information and providing legal identification, among many potential others.
It is a further object of the invention to allow member card users to be credited with appropriate prizes they may have won from playing a particular game, including but not limited to: cash prizes; coupons; discounts on next purchases; money value used for shopping sprees; loyalty points; free products at participating sponsors; free cellular phone time. For example, a patron obtains a game piece resulting in xe2x80x9cyou have won a free X brand sodaxe2x80x9d. The free X brand soda will be applied at the patron""s next checkout assuming they are trying to purchase X brand soda or the patron, via the system, may have the option of xe2x80x9cfree X brand soda certificatexe2x80x9d by e-mail or regular mail. In this particular embodiment of the invention, members may automatically, whether actually notified if they have won or not, get use of in-store prizes at their next or some subsequent checkout. A five dollar value win for example will decrease their next grocery bill by five dollars, limitations may be placed upon redemption such as a time period of 10 days so as to entice repeat store visits. Likewise, the user of a credit card promotion may obtain a piece that awards frequent flyer points instead of a game piece. Our system will then automatically award the points to the appropriate patron""s credit card point account. In yet another embodiment, the patron may choose, if permitted within the scope of the sponsor""s rules, to trade the points obtained in exchange for a game piece or prize from another game player, or auction the points on the site""s auction center. In yet another embodiment, the patron may use the points, based on the rules of the game, to xe2x80x9cbuy a rightxe2x80x9d to a free xe2x80x9cspinxe2x80x9d and the chance to get a bigger prize or a needed game piece/indicia. It should be understood that the above examples may apply to one or more games depending on the game structure and rules. Some aspects may not be used for all games, but in no way are the above examples to be interpreted as limiting in any way. The automation of prize distribution is advantageous because it greatly reduces so called xe2x80x9cfulfillnentxe2x80x9d costs such as shipping, handling and consumer contact.
It is a further object of the invention to allow longevity to at least one type of game by means of a xe2x80x9cspecial random drawing roundxe2x80x9d, usually, but not necessarily, on an annual or semi-annual basis. In this embodiment of the invention, all winners of a pre-determined prize level and/or predetermined games or game pieces, will automatically be entered into a random drawing sweepstakes with a high-value prize at least once per year. Thus, if a supermarket runs a series of promotions throughout a given year, patrons will be enticed to continually play, even if they don""t collect letters, because they may be automatically entered into the year-end random drawing. This is a valued improvement over other random drawing games on the Internet in that there will be a limited number of entries and thus substantially greater odds of being the big winner. In one embodiment of the system, if a player has elected to use our xe2x80x9codds breakerxe2x80x9d sharing technology and has formed a group with which to share pieces, then all players that are part of a group gets one random entry, when any one group member gets a random entry. It is contemplated that the game piece acquired per a game""s rules may include a prize or game piece such as xe2x80x9cyou have won an entry into the year end random drawing for $1 million.xe2x80x9d
It is a further object of the invention to create a feasible way for marketers of these games to eliminate the need for costly time, development and distribution of game pieces. In this embodiment of the invention, game pieces are generated electronically at the game site on the web. Actual physical game pieces are not required and pieces are generated as needed. In yet another embodiment of the invention, pieces may be randomly generated at the POS system for further download later and then each player is assigned their pieces on upload and appropriate crossing checking of system protocols and applications. Although other sweepstakes type promotions currently use on-line game pieces, our system creates a greater marketing advantage by allowing players to share and trade the pieces.
It is another object of the invention to provide a means for allowing players from all designated playable geographic areas to increase their odds of obtaining the most xe2x80x9crarexe2x80x9d piece so as to increase their chances of winning a prize or xe2x80x9cthe big prizexe2x80x9d by sharing game pieces with other players or by use of the Odds Accelerator previously discussed and referred to as the odds accelerator. The Odds Accelerator adds more rare pieces to a game based on a triggering event. The advantage is an Odds Accelerator is that the game has significantly more marketability and the participants have significantly better odds of obtaining a rare game piece then under current or classical collect and win or match and win games.
It is another object of the invention to utilize computer modems, telephones, satellites, televisions, radios and other communication devices connected with or on the system or the Internet; through such allow the system to determine a triggering event that accelerates all players"" odds of winning a given promotion. The term Internet is used synonymously with the term xe2x80x9cWorld Wide Webxe2x80x9d (WWW) throughout.
A specific object of the invention is to develop promotional games where the only place a player will be able to obtain a xe2x80x9cgame piecexe2x80x9d or an xe2x80x9caccelerator game piecexe2x80x9d is via communication in a form with the system. These pieces are virtual in nature, in that they exist only on the game system according to the invention and may or may not be combined with other virtual or physical pieces from other players to win a prize, dependant on the sponsor""s rules. An accelerated piece is a game piece that is typically rare in nature and typically associated with a large prize. For example, there may be only one letter xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d in a COLA spell game, but the triggering event results in at least one more letter xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d being added to the xe2x80x9cpotxe2x80x9d.
It is a further object of the invention to allow the holder of a xe2x80x9crarexe2x80x9d element to auction, trade or negotiate the ownership percentage of a given prize based on a perceived or actual value of the rare piece, again in accordance with the games regulations. In other words, if the prize is one million dollars and the accelerator has begun, the rare piece holder can try to end the game fast by sharing the rare piece with others, but may try to get more than one share of the pie since said piece is harder to come by.
An advantage of the invention is to offer greatly bettered odds of winning to all players while helping sponsors to appear as if a game can actually be won and thereby increasing interest in the games and ultimately generating more sales.
A further advantage provided by the invention is that sponsors have a way of combining TV ads or programs, and product sales to generate interest in their products and web sites, due to the present invention. The system allows brick and mortar companies, e.g., grocery chains, cell phone companies, consumer product manufacturers, a reason to have a web presence.
A further advantage of the present invention is to allow people without Internet access, the ability to participate in a given promotional game and be notified of winnings by the system or the system administrators. For example, a 70-year-old xe2x80x9cmember cardxe2x80x9d holder uses her card at supermarket chain Z to purchase a xe2x80x9cpromotionalxe2x80x9d product K. She does not have Internet access but, because she is xe2x80x9cknownxe2x80x9d by the system from using her card, she will be automatically credited with any prizes or will be sent such prizes physically by the system administrators. Thus, the system enables anyone to have access to prizes and game pieces whether they are web enabled or not. Not withstanding above, the system will be somewhat constrained by any given sponsor""s rules and, as such, may only allow activation of prizes or pieces by players actually visiting the site and performing various tasks, such as answering questions, filling out prize forms, verifying data, completing surveys, etc. Furthermore, it is anticipated that the xe2x80x9cvirtualxe2x80x9d playing of a piece on behalf of a member card holder may be based on whether or not a sponsor allows for such in its rules and whether or not the sponsor may require the member card holder to specifically request to be included in such a system as contemplated above. However, the clear advantage is a more marketable member card or loyalty card for the sponsor.
It is an object of the system to perform tracking and referencing of the data received for a player and for other players each having inputted unique data to the system. The data is matched to preset criteria via the system as a player or players play an element(s) in order to trigger an accelerating event. (The Odds Accelerator need not be used in conjunction with member card related games. It can also be used in other on-line and off-line promotions.)
The system notifies the multiple players of a promotion via the system, for example through email, a website or in-store alerts, of the occurrence of a triggering event and the subsequent odds acceleration, i.e., increased chances of obtaining specific elements or prizes. In the case of off-line notification, similar information may be obtained at each participating store by means of a Game Information Board. Please note that an Accelerator piece may a rare piece, an instant prize piece, or any other piece as defined by a sponsor""s rules as eligible for Accelerator. The advantage of such a system and its ability to notify players if a crucial piece has been obtained, played or is sitting in a player""s xe2x80x9cIn-Boxxe2x80x9d creates a significant advantage over other collect and win and match and win promotions by making the game more exciting for the consumer and thus more valuable to the sponsor. The time and date of data received for each unique triggering element(s) is stored and used for referencing, thereby allowing for the smooth and rules based acceleration of rare or winning elements.
A specific object of the invention is to integrate into the game a system for easily sharing, storing and trading virtual (on-line generated) game pieces. The system may use an xe2x80x9cIn-Boxxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cShare Boxxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cTrade Boxxe2x80x9d (xe2x80x9cI Have Boxxe2x80x9d) and an xe2x80x9cI Want Boxxe2x80x9d to easily facilitate sharing and trading. The many advantages of such a system include consumers (players) ability to safely store pieces for future use, to increase their odds of obtaining necessary pieces no matter where they live, for example if they live in Vermont and the piece they need is available in Japan, and to get xe2x80x9cplay valuexe2x80x9d from the game among others. Likewise, many advantages are thus created for the sponsor including a more marketable xe2x80x9cconsumer friendlyxe2x80x9d game and increased one to one contact with the consumer after the consumer has left the store, among others.
The system can receive and input data for multiple different games, each having unique game parameters and multiple game players. The system references the data by generating virtual game elements with the unique data. The above-mentioned advantages and objects of the present invention will further become apparent when taken with the detailed description of the invention.